


Day One Hundred Four || ___ Changed Everything

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [104]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 17:38:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18473818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Sasuke wasn't about to hold his breath when he returned to Konoha. In his eyes, there was nothing there he wanted beyond the scraps of his family. But just one person was able to change it all.





	Day One Hundred Four || ___ Changed Everything

They’ve been going at it for hours now.

Sasuke can’t remember the last time he was able to truly let loose in a spar. While Itachi is perfectly capable by now, something still holds the younger brother back. Itachi’s new body still has its occasional pitfall, and thus Sasuke treads lightly. If anything were to happen to his brother now, after all he’s been through and all it nearly cost to bring him back...well, it wouldn’t be pretty. So he doesn’t take that chance.

He refuses to spar with Sakura. Not for her lack of ability, but for the line he’s told himself he’ll never cross again. That ship sailed a long time ago, but he’s loathe to even give any inkling. Even personally, he keeps her at arm’s length. He knows part of her will never let go of him, no matter how happy she is with Naruto.

Hence why Naruto is the only one left he really can hold no bars with.

Granted, they never approach levels of how they’d fought in the Shūmatsu no Tani. No Kyūbi cloak, no Susanoo. Mostly it only ever involves taijutsu to the point of nearly breaking bones...but not losing limbs.

His sister-in-law would throttle him if she had to make him a new arm a second time.

It’s late afternoon, and they started midmorning. Bruises and split skin litter them both, but Sasuke can’t help scowls as Kurama mends the majority of his partner’s. Hardly fair. But they’re both beginning to slow down, and it’s about time. They have other things to get done with what remains of the day.

Blocking a punch, Sasuke wheels around with a kick that nails Naruto in the gut. Air rushes from his lungs as he sails back into a tree, stunned.

“...all right, dobe. That’s enough.”

“You’re only saying that cuz it means ending with you up!”

“As it always will,” Sasuke replies blithely, but with a hint of amusement in his gaze. “We’ve been here too long as it is. We’ve got wives to get back to, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Pushing himself upright, Naruto dusts himself off. “Y’don’t gotta remind me.”

“I believe you. Must be hard to forget being married to a woman like Sakura.”

Naruto’s lips draw in a pout. “...what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You  _ know _ what it means.”

“Bah…” Waving his friend aside, the blond admits, “Yeah, she’s a handful...but so’m I.”

“Which is why you’re perfectly suited for each other, dobe. She’s in far better hands with you than she’d ever have been with me.”

“She’d never  _ be _ in your hands, anyway.”

“Exactly.”

“Well...you and Hinata fit together pretty well too, eh?”

“...that we do.”

There’s a few minutes of silence as they take time to rinse sweat off their faces in a nearby branching creek of the Naka.

“Y’know...it’s kinda funny, isn’t it?”

“What?”

Naruto kicks his bare feet in the water, seated along the bank. “How it all turned out. With the girls.”

A dark brow perks. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, Sakura was always hounding after  _ you _ . She even lied to me once about preferring me so she could complete her little mission to eliminate you.”

A scoff. “As if she could.”

Naruto gives him a look. “...not my  _ point _ . My point  _ is _ , she was always dead set on  _ you _ . Just like Hinata was with me. And then look: they ended up trading. Sorta.”

“Are you saying they settled for a second option?”

“No! No, that’s not what I’m sayin’!” The jinchūriki scowls, itching his head. “I mean, they just...y’know. They found better people  _ for _ them in the last place they’d look. Sakura thought I was a loser. And annoying. But turns out, we mesh pretty well. And Hinata always looked up to me, but...she gets along so well with you.”

Leaning forearms on his knees, Sasuke stares into the water, expression suddenly focused.

“...uh...did I say somethin’ wrong…?”

“No...for once,” Sasuke can’t help but prod. “...just another reminder of how lucky I am.”

“Lucky?”

“Hinata changed everything.” The admission is blunt, and actually makes Naruto jolt a bit in surprise at his friend’s sincerity of tone. “I was prepared to spend all my time in Konoha a recluse with my family. I wanted nothing to do with anyone else. You and Sakura had driven me away with your behavior...all the girls had been so obnoxious, and the boys always thought I was playing the cool guy and disliked me for it. I didn’t care if I never spoke to anyone but my brother’s family ever again.

“...but then there was the alliance with the Hyūga, and my family urging me to branch out. The former saw me pushed in with a bunch of that clan, and the latter meant people from my Academy year. And she was a common denominator.”

“...a what?”

Sasuke sighs, head bowing. “...she was there for both. A Hyūga, and a classmate. I couldn’t avoid her...especially when you and Sakura got together. She and I were both third wheels. So, we just...started talking. And unlike most of the people in our year, I had no issues with her. I’d never even spoken to her. And she didn’t treat me like anyone else did. No suspicion, no eggshell-walking. She’d just...talk to me. And I guess I found that refreshing. Even you and Sakura would flinch every time I came around. You didn’t know how to react to me.”

Right on cue, Naruto does just that.

“So, we’d end up seeing each other personally, and with clan meetings. And she started suggesting the same things as my family: to try to get back into speaking with everyone. For all their sakes, I tried. Which is the only reason I’m here talking to you now. Then the Hyūga helped me rebuild the police force, and she joined...and we worked together...and it all just clicked.”

Sasuke’s gaze moves up toward the sky. “...I’d given up on it all. Having friends. A family. And she’s given me both. I never thought I’d get married. I no longer saw a point. But she...she just  _ fits _ . And I thank whatever gods are listening every day for that. Without her...I’d still be the same angry, pent-up person I was when I first came back. Now I have a job that I love, that makes a difference. I’ve rebuilt my friendships. And I have a wife that both fits my edges, and tempers them. And at the root of all that? Is her. Always her.”

For a long moment, Naruto stares at his friend with wide eyes. He’s...never really heard Sasuke talk about Hinata like that before. They’ve had brief chats about it, sure...but nothing that in-depth. “Well, uh...I’m glad she makes you happy, Sasuke.” Trying to break the tension, he laughs a bit, a hand at his neck. “Gods know what she saw in me, eh?”

After a short pause, Sasuke snorts, smiling softly. “Good question. But I have to wonder what she sees in  _ me _ , either.”

“Yeah...who knows why they put up with us. But we’re damn lucky they do.”

“...that we are.”

With that, Naruto heaves a sigh. “Well, I dunno about you...but I’m tired, sore, and  _ starving _ …! I’m gonna devour like  _ ten _ bowls of Ichiraku’s!”

“You don’t have dinner waiting at home?”

“Oh, well…” A finger itches his cheek. “...yeah, probably. Guess I better do that instead.”

Sasuke just shakes his head with a soft snort. Some things, at least, never change.

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, this is later than I wanted, but at least it's done!
> 
> Technically Hinata's not in this one - I wanted to try a new angle of Sasuke having a chat with Naruto. I don't write the blond nearly often enough, so this was good practice! Even if most of it is Sasuke monologuing. But he loves his wife, so we'll allow it x3
> 
> But uh, yeah! That's it for today: short and sweet. Thanks for reading!


End file.
